The present invention generally relates to an automobile body construction and, more particularly, to an automobile front body construction including a reinforced beam assembly extending between a pair of front body hinge pillars for the support of a steering shaft column.
Heretofore, the steering shaft has been supported by a bracket mounted on and protruding from an automobile front body, for example, an upper dash panel. However, it has been found that, since the front body supporting the bracket has relatively little physical strength and rigidity (because the automobile body is designed to reduce the overall weight thereof), the steering shaft tends to undergo such lateral oscillation when running at high speed as to result in reduced drivability and reduced safety of the automobile. In addition, it has also been found that, once an automobile collision takes place, the steering shaft supporting the bracket, together with the front body tends to collapse towards the driver's seat, resulting in injury to the driver and passengers.
In order to avoid the problems discussed above, there has been proposed the employment of a reinforced beam for the support of the steering shaft column, which extends between the front body hinge pillars, for the purpose of reinforcing the steering shaft column.